Pie pan



Patented Jan. 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE PIE PAN l Flora Ellinger, Milwaukee, Wis. Application February 15, 1935, Serial No. 6,636

I 5 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in cooking` utensils, and more particularly to a utensil in the form of a pie tin arranged with means to prevent overflow drippage onto* the oven walls during baking operations.

When the ordinary form of pie tin is used the pie therein usually exceeds in depth the depth of thetin andthe crust or pastry layers overhang the peripheral flange of the tin. During baking operations juices from the pie often over- -ow the tin, making the surface of the pie untightly and dripping onto portions of the oven,

thereby causing odors and smoke and necessitating cleaning of the oven.

f With the above diiculties in mind the present to catch overflow juices from the 1 E Heretofore there have been attempts in the art tov provide troughed pie tins `for this `purpose but inj all prior examples the troughs have been form of pie tin arranged with a peripheral trough pie.

arranged at too high an elevation with the result that the j'uice therein, after reaching a certain level had a tendency to flow back onto the pie surface or crust and mar its appearance.

. A specific object of the present invention is to provide ya troughed pie tin wherein the trough is of relatively large capacity and is arranged at an elevation only slightly above the bottom of the pie tin.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a pie tin which is formed with a relatively wide flange between the tin proper and the trough, said iiange being outwardly, downwardly inclined so as to direct and insure the proper flow of overflow juices from the tin into the trough and to prevent the ultimate backing up of the juices onto the pie surfaces.

lAnother specific object of the present invention isto provide a pie tin having a peripheral flange and a removable cutting ring cooperative therewith for the purpose of neatly trimming and cutting the excess dough of the pie layers.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide a two-part pie tin having cooperating means formed on the complementary sections for marking the pie to permit its being ultimately cut into uniform triangular slices.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved pie tin which is of very simple construction, which is strong and durable, which is neat and attractive in appearance, and which is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

Withl the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved pie tin, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In vthe accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved pie tin;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cutting ring cooperativewith the pie tin;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the pie tin, a pie therein, and the cutting ring in its operative position; and i Fig. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, detail sectional view of a portion of the showing of Fig. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will appear that the pie tin section is indicated generally by the numeral 8 and comprises av relatively shallow vessel or utensil of circularshape with a nat bottom portion 9 and an upwardly, outwardly inclined side wall III. Integral with the upper edge of the side wall is an annular flange II which is relatively wide and is directed outwardly with a substantial downward pitch or inclination. A trough I2, of U-form in cross-section, is depended from the outer edge of the flange Il. relatively large capacity and its bottom portion is considerably below the horizontal plane of the mid-portion of the pie tin 8, and only slightly above the bottom 9. Formed on the flange II and adjoining Wall portions of the trough are six spaced-apart marking protuberances I3.

Adapted to cooperate with the pie tin B is a cutting ring Il. Said ring is formed with an outwardly curved side wall I5. Depending from the outer edge of the side wall I5 is a vertical cutting wall I6. The cutting ring is so proportioned and of a suflicient size so that when it is applied to the pie tin its curved wall I5 positions slightly above the flange Il, while the cutting wall I6 hugs the outer upper portion of the inner wall of the trough I2. Six equally spaced-apart marking protuberances Il are struck out from the lower inner portions of the curved wall I5. When the cutting ring I4 is placed on the pie tin, the markers II should be alined with the markers I3 on the pie tin, and the same cooperate in forming marks in the pie crust to indicate where the pie slices are to be cut.

When the improved pie tin is utilized, the dough for the lower layer of crust is formed in the usual manner and is then disposed within the ple tin, hanging over the flange I I. In most instances this layer is initially too large and overhangs the flange. To enhance the appearance of the pie,

Said vtrough is of this layer of. dough should be neatly trimmed and for this purpose the cutting ring I4 is utilized. It is merely placed onto the pie tin and its wall portions, in cooperation with the edge of the flange I I, serve to shear off the excess overhanging dough portions, which then drop into the trough I2 for easy removal.

The cutting ring is next removed and the pie lling is next put into the pie tin. After this step the dough for the top pastry layer is rolled and spread over the filling. This top layer will also probably require trimming at its periphery and the ring is replaced and operates in the manner previously described.

Before the filled pie tin is placed in the oven the cutting ring is removed. During baking operations some of the juice of the pie lling is very apt to overflow. When this occurs the juice is directed into the trough I2 by the wide inclined flange II. Due to the inclination of said ilange and to the relatively low disposition of said trough, juice cannot run back into the pie and over the crust'and spoil the appearance thereof. The trough also prevents any of the juice from getting onto surfaces of the oven, eliminating the uncleanliness, odor and smoke resulting therefrom.

Just prior to the completion of. the baking operation it is desirable to place the cutting ring on the pie and tin, with the respective markers I3 and I'I in registration. Hence, when the baking is completed and the ring removed, the edge portions of the crust will be neat in appearance, unmarred by juice, and will have equally spaced indentations therein to facilitate the cutting of the pie into equal slices.

If the device is used for the baking of a pie which does not require a top crust layer, then the ring I4 may be left in position on the tin during the entire baking operation. This will serve to prevent the dough of the lower layer from shrinking away from the side edges of the tin, as is usually the case, and a very neat appearing pie will result. The ring will also prevent the pie lling from running out unevenly onto the peripheral portions of the crust.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the improved pie tin is of simple and unique construction, and is well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

`surfaced ange connected to the upper edge of the side wall of the vessel, and an annular trough outwardly of and surrounding the vessel, said 10 trough being connected to the outer edge of said flange and all portions of the trough being below the flange,

3. A pie tin, comprising a shallow, open vessel of circular formation having an upwardly, outl5 wardly inclined side wall, a relatively wide, annular, outwardly, downwardly inclined flange integral with and extending from the upper edge of said side wall, and an annular trough of U- form in cross-section surrounding the vessel and 2G having a side edge connected to and depending from the outer edge of said ilange, all portions of the trough being below the flange and the trough extending below a horizontal plane through the mid-portion of the vessel. i 25 4. In combination, a pastry vessel comprising a shallow member having an annular, outwardly extending iiange, and a cutting ring having a circular vertical wall of slightly greater circumference than the circumference of the outer edge a0 of the vessel ilange and a reduced wall portion extending upwardly therefrom, the ring being positionable on the vessel with the reduced wall seating on the ange and the vertical wall extending adjacent the flange edge to shear pastry 35 extending over the fiange and beyond the edge thereof.

5. In combination, a pastry vessel comprising a shallow member having an annular, outwardly extending flange with an annular trough depending therefrom, and a cutting ring having a circular vertical wall of slightly greatefcircumference than the circumference of. the outer edge of the vessel flange and a reduced, concave wall portion extending upwardly therefrom, the ring being positionable on the vessel with the reduced wall seating on the ange and the vertical wall extending adjacent the ange edge to shear pastry extending over the ange and beyond the edge thereof with the shearings dropping into and being caught by said trough.

FLORA EILINGER. 

